Pick-and-pick automatic bobbin changing loom



Jan. 11, 1955 L. FRANCESCHINI PICK-AND-PICK-AUTOMATIC BOBBIN CHANGING LOOM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 4, 1950 2 Ana? Fig. 1

//v V n r02: A oer/v20 fm/vciscw/v/ W QM M 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v Vf/V 70/9: 1 0R f/v Z0 mm was cw/v/ Jan. 11, 1955 FRANCESCHINI PICK-AND-PICK AUTOMATIC BOBBIN CHANGING LOOM Filed April 4, 1950 United States Patent PICK-AND-PICK AUTOMATIC BOBBIN CHANGING LOOM Lorenzo Franceschini, Florence, Italy, assignor to Oflicine Galileo Societa per Azioni, Florence, Italy, an Italian corporation Application April 4, 1950, Serial No. 153,847

Claims priority, application Italy April 11, 1949 7 Claims. (Cl. 139-233) The present invention relates to automatic looms of the pickand-pic type which employ a plurality of shuttle boxes on each side of the loom and whose operation is controlled by a pattern mechanism so that shuttles holding weft threads of different colors are thrown in a predetermined order to produce a colored pattern in the fabric woven by the loom.

In the multibox automatic bobbin changing looms of conventional type the weft insertion happens, as commonly said, by even picks (not pick-and-pick loom). There are, however, a few cases in which the fabric to be woven requires the weft insertion by odd and not even picks. In the first case the loom is provided with a single box on one side and two or more on the other, whilst in the second case the need is of having not only two or more 'boxes on one side, but also two or more on the other. The loom resulting in the second case is the well known pick-and-pick loom.

For conventional looms (by even picks) the problem of the weft replenishing frame which has to take into account the colour of the exhausted bobbin, is relatively easy because the shuttle carrying the filling of a particular colour is always boxed in the same box and therefore the problem consists of only recognizing the sequence number of that box. If, on the other hand, we take into account the problem arising from the colour selection in a pickand-pick loom, we notice that, because of the plurality of boxes at both sides, we are obliged to determine at every pick which is the box where a shuttle carrying the filling of a given colour is temporarily boxed.

In order to solve this problem, various ways have been followed and among these, mainly two; in one way every shuttle is a direct part of the automatic device, because it externally carries the keymarks of its original colour; in the other way a recognition system in dependence of the marks tied to the positions of the two sets of boxes, is provided. In both systems and also in their derivations and modifications, some kinematic alterations in the functional cycle of the loom are nearly always provided, hesides, in the actuation of the automatic device, servomeans of such a complex order are provided that, at a certain point, in view of such a complexity, it is doubtful whether any practical advantage can be derived from said automatic device.

The object of the present invention is a multi-box pickand-pick 'bobbin changing loom which does not require any kinematic alteration or complexity as above mentioned.

The loom in question is provided with a special arrangement for the purpose of reducing to a minimum complication the box movement and the bobbin change as well, this special pattern mechanism consisting of the two following groups of elements:

(1) The conventional chain capable of controlling the box movements on both sides, as usually done in pickand-pick looms, and

(2) A group of colour determining elements which is capable of finding out the colour of the thread belonging to the shuttle which is about to be thrown.

In this way the shuttle is brought up in line for being thrown by means of the first group of elements (No. 1 above mentioned) whilst at the same time the second group (No. 2 as above mentioned) provides to feel and remember its colour; the whole being arranged in order to allow the operation of the bobbin changing mechanism,

when required, very quickly and under the best kinematic and dynamic conditions.

It is necessary to point out how the main problem is represented by the time necessary to carry out all the operations relating to the bobbin change including the preliminary ones and the distribution of this time according to the various phases of the looms operation. Moreover, it cannot be forgotten that, as already said, that the bobbin change does not in any way interfere with the normal operation of the loom which must not undergo either kinematic alterations or stops in any of the different phases of its normal performance.

In order to avoid the bobbin feeler feeling the bobbin when the box movement has already happened, which, according to the necessary time limitation, would lead to a very dangerous increase of the acceleration of the complex mechanism of the weft replenishing frame, the loom is provided with a special device, by means of which, according to well known principles, the fillings of all the shuttles are simultaneously felt before or during the box movement, of all the electrical circuits, only the one corresponding to the shuttle which is about to be picked, being actuated.

The switching means actuating the different electric circuits as above is controlled by those elements of the pattern mechanism which control the box movement (group No. l) whilst according to the present invention other elements of the pattern mechanism" (group No. 2) find out the colour belonging to the shuttle about to be picked and are controlled with the preceding elements.

In this way, everything is predisposed in order to detect the thread color of the bobbin in the shuttle before the picking, and later on, to divide in two different stages the bobbin change operation. The first stage carries out the transportation of the already selected new bo'bbin from the weft replenishing frame (stationary part of the loom) to a clamp placed on the slay over the set of boxes, the transportation happening when the slay is for instance at the rear dead center point and thus almost stationary.

The second stage brings the filling from the clamp into the shuttle with the consequent expulsion of the empty bobbin, of course this second stage taking place in a second time interval when the shuttle has already reached the box and when the revoking mechanism will allow the change. The two displacements of the bobbin from the weft replenishing frame to the clamp and from the latter to the shuttle are carried out by means of a hammer placed on the slay and therefore movable with it. The complementary operations such as the clamping and cutting of the yarn are effected at the end of the operation cycle of the revoking mechanism as usually done in conventional looms.

In order to clarify the above described invention, an embodiment of a device which is hereafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, this embodiment being shown only by way of example.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a fragmentary perspective view of the loom, looking at the empty bobbin detecting side.

Fig. 2 schematically shows a fragmentary perspective view of the bobbin changing side of the loom.

It is intended that the figures be placed side by side with Fig. 1 on the left; among other things, the correspondence of the electrical circuits extending between Fig. l and Fig. 2 is marked, for continuity, with letters a, b, c, d, e which identify the same conductors in both Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

According'to the invention (see Figs. 1 and 2) the loom includes a slay 1, provided with a double shuttle box motion. At the left of said slay 2 indicates a set of four boxes in which four shuttles, provided with bobbins, each having a different coloured yarn or thread, are housed; at the right of the slay, 3 indicates a set of two shuttle boxes, which moves in a horizontal plane which is normal to the vertical plane in which the set of shuttle boxes 2 moves. The displacement of the vertically movable set 2 is operated by a known box motion mechanism including a motor 4, through a shaft 5, while the displacement of the second set is obtained through a connecting rod 6 by the box motion motor mechanism 7 similar to motor mechanism 4; the two mechanisms are of well known type, suitable for the purpose, and their operation is selectively controlled by the pattern control belt 8, provided, for instance, with pegs which actuate vertical control rods 9 and 10 for the control of the left hand shuttle box motor mechanism 4 and a vertical rod 11 which controls the right hand shuttle box motor mechanism 7 through a horizontal rod 110 and bell crank levers associated therewith.

Regarding the pattern control device 12 which drives pattern control belt 8, it is of a well known type and operates according to a predetermined pattern established on belt 8 to position one of the different shuttle boxes for throwing. The pattern control belt 8 carries more elements than the first three longitudinal rows which are normally used, the additional elements being in horizontal alignment with the usual longitudinal rows of elements or pegs. Of these additional longitudinal rows of elements (four, according to the example), each corresponds to the colour of the thread held by one of the four shuttles in the vertically movable boxes 2. It is important to point out that the additional elements 13 on the pattern control belt 8 are arranged in accordance with the arrangement of the first three rows of elements on belt 8 which determine the pattern in the usual manner. These additional elements, of which one is provided for each colour, actuate colour selective mechanism on the opposite side of the loom, which mechanism serves to deliver selectively a full shuttle supplied with thread of the proper colour whenever a feeler device indicates that a shuttle is nearly empty. The colour responsive delivery mechanism for the full shuttles is electromagnetically controlled, and the additional control elements on belt 8 cause the closure of electrical contacts connected to the full shuttle delivery mechanism. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, these contacts are designated 14, 15, 16 and 17.

The set of vertically movable boxes 2 (situated, in the drawing, at the left of the slay 1), consists according to the example, of four separate shuttle boxes, and is provided with four bobbin feeling devices 181920-21, one for each box and carried by a common supporting member 21a which is rotatable about a vertical axis. The feelers used can be of any known type, provided that when the bobbin in question is exhausted, they can close, interrupt or otherwise modify, directly or indirectly an electric circuit in coordination with the pattern control mechanism.

The support 22 (Fig. 2) is integral with the slay 1. The right hand set of two shuttle boxes 3 is slidably disposed on the support 22 and arranged to move in a horizontal plane. A clamp or holding spring 23 is disposed above the set of boxes 3 (located in the example on the right of the slay), in alignment with the track of the shuttle. This clamp 23 is arranged to hold temporarily the bobbin 24, which the hammer 25 combined with the slay 1 (the latter being at its rear dead point and thus nearly still), has transferred to the temporary holding clamp 23 with a first strike from the resiliently edged support 26-27 of the bobbin magazine; in the figure, for reasons of clarity, the magazine 28 is only partially indicated.

29 indicates the revoker finger, which provides the control of the position of the shuttle, when it has arrived in its box; according to the example, this device is splined on the same shaft 29 with the scissor and clamp devices (the latter of a well known type and thus not indicated in the figure) which thus act simultaneously with the revoker finger 29.

As regards the devices, which drive the hammer and the revoking mechanism, 3031-32 indicate three continuously rotating cams; the first 30 drives the revoking mechanism (29), and the scissors and the clamp; the second 31 and the third 32 serve for driving the hammer, to be effected in two successive phases.

The driving of said members, however, does not directly take place through the tappet levers, respectively 333435 but by the auxiliary aid of engaging members which can connect the tappet 33 to move the rod 36 which actuates the revoking mechanism (and the scissors and clamp members), and the tappets 34-35 which with the rod 37 control the hammer.

Of the mentioned engaging members, two and more precisely the one which relates to the group of the revoking mechanism and the one which relates to the first movement of the hammer are respectively driven through the parallel rods 38 and 39 by the rocker member 40. Rocker member 40 is operated through rod 41 by upward movement of a horizontal bar 42 carried by spaced levers comprising bell crank lever 42a and lever 42b. This upward movement takes place when any one of the vertically movable bobbin releasing members 434445 46 is activated by the tripping of one of the respective spring actuated pawls 474849--50. Tripping occurs in response to disengagement of one of the pawls from the corresponding one of the teeth carried by the lower ends of the electromagnetically actuated armature members 5152--5354. A further upper horizontal bar 55 reciprocates continuously in a generally vertical direction and passes in proximity to the upper ends of pawls 47484950. The upper bar 55 is supported by spaced rocker arms 55a which are pivoted intermediate their ends at 55b. After having been tripped, any one of the pawls 474849-50 will engage the vertically reciprocating upper bar 55 near its lowermost limit of movement and will be drawn upwardly therewith during its next upward movement. The continuous reciprocation of upper bar 55 is provided by a rod 56 connected to the end of one of the pivoted rocker arms 55a and which, through a horizontal shaft 57, is driven by a continuously revolving cam 58.

Regarding the working of the revoker finger 29, the cam 59 actuated by rod 38 through resilient coupling means, lifts the pawl 60 on its profile; this pawl engages the tooth 61 which is arranged to rotate the sector 62; the action is transmitted through the rod 36 and shaft 29' to said revoker finger 29.

The movement of the hammer 25 is controlled from rocker member 40 through rod 39 which rotates the cam 63 in a manner similar to that described for the cam 59 in connection with revoker finger 29. Upon rotation of cam 63, the pawl 65 engages the tooth 64 of cam 63, and by this action, the hammer actuating rod 37 and hammer 25 are driven through the toothed sectors 66 and 67. If the downward movement of the revoker finger 29 is not obstructed by an improperly boxed shuttle, for which event suitable resilient coupling means are provided to prevent damage to the revoker mechanism, the downwardly extending free end of a lever 68 pivoted at 69 on the arm 70 which moves with sector 62, engages the fixed stop pin 71. The further rotation of arm 70 ultimately causes engagement between the upper portion of lever 68 and a pin 72 carried by the dog 72 which thus engages the tooth 64 of cam 63 causing a second and further downward hammer motion which follows the first hammer motion caused by engagement between tooth 64 and pawl 65, the second hammer motion being produced by a further movement of hammer actuating rod 37.

The operation of the loom according to the invention is as follows: The pattern control belt 8 causes positioning of the vertically movable shuttle boxes 2 to bring a preselected shuttle into throwing position. During this vertical movement, the four feelers 1819-20-21 simultaneously engage the four shuttles in the four boxes closing a separate control circuit for each shuttle which is found to be substantially empty. A particular one of these four control circuits is selected by two switches 73 and 74 and connected to a common conductor a. The positions of switches 73 and 74 are determined by the vertically movable pattern control rods 9 and 10 which are controlled by the pattern control belt 8 and which, acting through motor mechanism 4, also cause a preselected one of the shuttle boxes 2 to be vertically moved into throwing position. The control circuit which is selected by the switches 7374 includes the feeler circuit of the particular shuttle which is approaching the throwing position.

Simultaneously with the actuation of vertical pattern control rods 9 and 10 by the conventional pattern control elements, the additional elements 13 of pattern control belt 8 cause closure of a single preselected set among the several sets of contacts 1415--1617 and thus determines the color of the empty bobbin which is to be replaced in the preselected shuttle after its arrival at the opposite side of the loom.

Through switches 73 and 74 which connect a particular one of the feelers 18l9--2021 to give an empty bobbin indication and by the color selecting contacts through closure of a particular pair of the belt controlled contacts 1415-1617 an electrical circuit is completed which energizes a preselected one of the four electromagnets 75-7677-78 causing attraction of one of the four armatures 51-52-53-54 and tripping of the corresponding one of the four pawls 47484950. The resulting upward movement of lower horizontal bar 42, however, will not occur until the beginning of the next upward movement of the continuously reciprocating upper horizontal bar 55. This is properly timed by the continuously revolving cam 58 to await arrival of the shuttle at the opposite side of the loom, the bobbin change taking place immediately after arrival of the shuttle with the empty bobbin at the replenishing side of the loom. This permits the shuttle to be'immediately thrown back to the shuttle box 2, in a filled condition, to be moved aside, likewise, in a filled condition, under control of pattern belt 8 by horizontal movement of shuttle box 3 through rods 11 and 6 and motor mechanism 7 to await return to the vertically movable shuttle box 2 when called for by a subsequent position of pattern control belt 8, thus allowing any two of the four shuttles to be on the replenishing side of the loom at the same time.

Assume, for example, that the shuttle containing a green bobbin or weft carrier is nearly empty. When the pattern control belt 8 calls for a throwing of the green shuttle to lay a pick, the vertically movable shuttle box 2 is positioned to bring the green weft shuttle on the throwing line bythe motor mechanism 4 which is controlled by actuation of vertical control rods 9 and 10. This also moves the switches 73 and 74 to connect the feeler 19 of the four feelers 1819--20-21 to thecommon conductor a, it being further assumed that the green shuttle is assigned to the second shuttle box where it will be checked by the feeler 19. At the same time, the pattern control belt has caused closure of contacts 15. This may take place either while the shuttle box 2 is stationary, or while it is moving vertically, the circuit being completed in either case while the shuttle is still in the shuttle box 2 and before it is thrown to lay a pick. The completion of this circuit energizes electromagnet 77 which thereupon attracts its armature 53 tripping the spring actuated pawl 49. After arrival of the green shuttle in either of the two horizontally movable shuttle boxes, the upper continuously reciprocating horizontal bar 55 moves upwardly and the tripped pawl 49 hooks over the upper surface of bar 55 drawing vertically movable member 45 upwardly therewith. During the course of its upward movement, member 45 rotates the transversely curved bobbin releasing member 79 about its longitudinal axis to permit a bobbin 24 of green Weft thread disposed in the magazine 28 to roll down onto the resiliently held pivoted flap 26 where it is retained by the combined action of flap 26 and holding member 27.

At substantially the same time, the revoker finger 29 checks the correct positioning of the newly arrived shuttle. Provided that the shuttle is correctly positioned in one of the two shuttle boxes 3, the revoker finger completes its downward movement accompanied by actuation of the conventional clamp and scissors devices (not shown).

The checking action of revoker finger 29 is accompanied by the movement of the hammer 25 through the first portion of its complete stroke. This transfers the bobbin from flap 26 to temporary holding clamp 23. The complete downward movement of revoker finger 29 gives rise to the completion of the movement of hammer 25 through the second portion thereof in the course of which it transfers the hypothetical bobbin of green thread 24 from temporary spring clamp 23 to the waiting shuttle, simultaneously expelling the empty bobbin from the shuttle.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. In combination with a pick-and-pick loom, said loom comprising pattern control means, a first group of shuttle boxes each adapted to contain a shuttle replaceably carrying a bobbin of weft of a particular characteristic, said first group of shuttle boxes being movably disposed at a first side of said loom for positioning a preselected one of said first group of boxes in the throwing line of said loom, a second group of shuttle boxes movably disposed at a second side of said loom opposite said first side for positioning a preselected one of said second group of boxes in said throwing line; and means responsive to said pattern control means including motor mechanism for selectively positioning both of said groups of shuttle boxes, the provision of: feeler means disposed in proximity to said first group of boxes for detecting the presence of a substantially empty weft bobbin in any shuttle therein;

a magazine disposed at said second side of said loom, said magazine containing a plurality of weft bobbins of differ ent characteristics for replacement of any empty weft bobbin detected by said feeler means with a full bobbin of weft having the same characteristics as said empty bobbin, said magazine comprising selectively operable bobbin releasing means for delivering a bobbin wound with weft of a particular one of said characteristics; selective means operated simultaneously with said pattern control means for determining from which of said first group of shuttle boxes a shuttle is about to be thrown; preselecting means responsive to the combined action of said selective means and said feeler means prior to the throwing of a shuttle from said first group of boxes to said second group for selectively controlling operation of said bobbin releasing means; and bobbin replacement means disposed in proximity to said second group of shuttle boxes and driven synchronously with said loom, -said bobbin replacement means being controlled by said preselecting means for selectively operating said bobbin releasing means and replacing an emptly bobbin detected by said feeler means with a bobbin delivered from said magazine, said replacement means being actuated after the shuttle containing said empty bobbin has arrived in one of the shuttle boxes of said second group and prior to lany subsequent movement of said second group of shuttle oxes.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said feeler means comprises control means movable with said first group of shuttle boxes, said control means comprising individual circuit control means operatively associated with each shuttle box of said first group; in which said preselect ing means includes an individual electromagnet operatively associated with each of said shuttle boxes of said first group; and wherein said selecting means comprises further individual circuit control means for each of said shuttle boxes of said first group, said further circuit control means being actuated in accordance with the pattern of said pattern control means; said combination further comprising circuit means interconnecting said electromagnets and said circuit control means of said feeler means and of said selecting means.

3. The combination according to claim 2, in which said pattern control means comprises belt means having control elements disposed longitudinally therealong, and wherein said selecting means comprises further control elements disposed longitudinally along said belt means, said circuit control means of said selecting means being actuated by said further control elements.

4. In combination with a pick-and-pick loom, said loom comprising: pattern control means; a first group of shuttle boxes each adapted to contain a shuttle replaceably carrying a bobbin of weft of a particular characteristic, said first group of shuttle boxes being movably disposed at a first side of said loom for positioning a preselected one of said first group of boxes in the throwing line of said loom; a second group of shuttle boxes movably disposed at a second side of said loom opposite said first side for positioning a preselected one of said second group of boxes in said throwing line; and means responsive to said pattern control means including motor mechanism for selectively positioning both of said groups of boxes, the provision of: feeler means comprising a separate circuit control means for each box of said first group disposed in proximity to said first group of boxes for detecting the presence of a substantially empty weft bobbin in any shuttle therein; a magazine containing a plurality of bobbins filled with wefts of different characteristics corresponding to those of the bobbins in the shuttles in said first group of shuttle boxes for replacing any empty bobbin detected by said feeler means, said magazine comprising: selectively operable bobbin releasing means for delivering a bobbin filled with weft of a particular one of said characteristics; selective circuit control means actuated along with said pattern control means in accordance with the shuttle box of said first group from which a shuttle is about to be thrown; a plurality of electromagnets each operatively associated with one of the shuttle boxes of said first group; circuit means connecting each of said electromagnets individually to said selective circuit control means under control of said circuit control means of said feeler means; bobbin replacement means disposed in proximity to said second group of shuttle boxes for replacing an empty bobbin in a shuttle box of said second group which is in said throwing line; operating means driven synchronously with said loom; and means individually actuable by each of said electromagnets for connecting said bobbin releasing means and said bobbin replacement means for actuation by said operating means after a shuttle containing an empty bobbin has arrived in a shuttle box of said second group in said throwing line, and prior to any subsequent movement of said second group of shuttle boxes.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said operating means comprises a continuously reciprocating member and in which said individually actuable means comprises a plurality of pawl means each arranged to be tripped by energization of one of said electromagnets, said pawl means, when tripped, preparing one of said individually actuable means for connection to said reciprocating member for movement therewith to actuate said bobbin replacement means after arrival of said shuttle containing said empty bobbin.

6. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said bobbin replacement means comprises hammer means movable through two successive stages, the first stage of said movement transferring a bobbin delivered by said bobbin releasing means to an intermediate position, and the second stage of said movement transferring said delivered bobbin from said intermediate position to said shuttle which has arrived in said shuttle box of said second group.

7. The combination according to claim 6, further comprising holding means for retaining said bobbin in said intermediate position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,542,772 Hollins June 16, 1925 1,573,942 Hollins Feb. 23, 1926 2,049,584 Gordon Aug. 4, 1936 2,134,953 Price Nov. 1, 1938 2,245,445 Schwabe June 10, 1941 2,333,904 Turner Nov. 9, 1943 2,485,134 Bergstrom et al Oct. 18, 1949 

